River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-08-25
ONE FOOLISH LIE.

muttered. aS she stood watching thu
whirling flakes IF snow with gloomy
evas. You're an ugly old meddlesom,
Frenchwoman. and | don't believe thai
YOU ever had lover in your life. and
hope YOU never will haver'
That moment the door bell rang.
..Can that De Dick. wonder?' Vic
let calculated. darting TO the banister
and peeping over to see.
1t was a stranger little black-eyed
parchment-faced Frerchman- He Wa:
asking James if a young lady named
DeSpard lived there
With a swift glance around. Violet
ran down the stairs.
There Is no young lady here of that
name. she told the Frenchman, in his
owntougue; andthen she added: '.Mdle.
ne~pard went away long ago"
Then She has been here?'' he asked
anxiOusly.
..Oh. YES" Violet answered, begin
ing to wish that she had staid up stairs.
..Do YOU know where she has gomez
..No."
The Frenchman went away.
'.She Is not young" Violet muttered,
..and she did 20 away once. though she
came back; and don't know where
she Is at this moment. 50 have not
told a single story.
She stood thinking moment with a
clouded face. then she went slowly
upstairs again.
Il don't care" she said 10 herself.
I'm glad l did IT, | hope he Is some
old lover of hers. and l shouldn't
wonder In all the time she has been
here no gentleman has ever called on
her before. and above al a French
man. Now I'll 70 and tell her the
trick I've played her.
Mrs Rome was a widow. rica. and an
invalid Miss Despard was her hired
companion. a middle-aged French
woman. who had become 80 thoroughly
Anglicised that only the slightest
foreign accent remained.
ed daughter and heiress. She was too
fond and too proud Of the pretty. way
ward creature to look with favor upon
the chance Of her eutangling herself
with a wild and somewhat diSsipated
young fellow like Richard Lewis. She
was indebted for much Of her know
ledge of the yong mans diSreputable
chara cter To Miss De>pard. and Violet
knew and resented the companion :
..interference.% as She called it.
Violet Earle and Estelle Despard had
not liked each other from the first.
Violet had early adopted fancy that
Miss Desparl -.spied' upon her, and
Miss DeSpard had been 80 unfortunate
as To Overhear one of the spoiled girl :
foolish speeches about herself. in which
She vowed her deteStation Of .'that sly
old French creature. and declared her
intention IF teasing Mamma Rome until
she sent her away
Miss DeSpard was Just going 10 her
own apartment when Violet saw her
and followed her i'm.
..Aiiss Despard." she said, stopping
at the door. and looking at the com
pauion with blue. defiant. ewes. You
are ALWAYS meddling with nv affairs.
and so seldom get = chance to inter
fere with yours. that | thought | would
improve an opportunity which came to
me this afternoon
E>teile's sallOw face flushed, bat she
only compressed her lips and stood still.
"A gentleman called, and asked if a
Young lady named Despard resided
here
E,telle started.
Il told him no Violet went on.
You are not a young lady. you know.
Esteiie.
Miss Despari's face turned white
with anger.
You ought to be ashamed OF YOUR
self. Violet Earle. l shall tell Mrs.
Rome what YOU have done
..But I'm not ashamed. you see, and
while you're telling that You can't be
talking about Dick Lewis-that's one
consolation" Violet answered holly.
..Aud oh. forgot one thing. E>telle.
The nian was French-eOuldn't speak a
word IF English that anyone could
understand.
..French?" screamed Miss Despard.
looking as if she was going To strike
the mOckiug girl And YOU lied "a
him SO? You told him | was not here:
Violet Earle. YOU have accused me OF
meddling. The next time NEEDLE You
shall see it will be to some purpose,
IfIever get chanc, to hurt YOU. | will.
i can wait
Violet was little frightened at the
woman's manner. But she tried tc
conceal it. and laughing loudly and de-
family. went away.
WHO wOnId hyer have thought sh,
had 50 much tei.p,r2' she thought
i wish hadn't gone near the French
man.
Some weeks went by
Miss Despard had not fulfilled hel
threat of telling Mrs, Rome. But Their,
was look in her black eyes sometime:
that made Violet shiver, and repeat Il
herself.
Il wish had never seen her or hel
Frenchnan.'
Richard Lewis had gone back to tn,
city.
One day a letter came FOR Miss Des
pard
Violet watched her n she opened il
Il hope il j. from him. she thought
THAT was the meaneSt thing | evel
did in my life
Este!le read her letter in a flash. a.
il We're Then she turned to Violet
They were alone in the breakfast-rOOm
Listen she said. her dark face liv
10, her ewes flames.
The man YOU kept from me Will
your lie was my lover long ago, in tn
DAYS when was Young. and a gOO'
deal handsomer than you are now. W
were too poor TO marry then, and n
WAYS since. But the day he was her
he had Just come into a fortune, an
was looking for me To make me his VIII
He could not find me. and he has gOn
home to France alone. l shall neve
see him again. and owe it to you.
Violet burst into tears
''Oh. forgive me-" she said. Il Al
so sorry, and We been sorry ever sine
| did it. Mamma Rome shall give yO
money enough To follow him TO Francs
or she shall write To him and tell hiI
where YOU are. Won't YOU fOrgiy
me, Miss Despard2''
Twill never forgive YOU as long !